How An Audience Member Watched Out For My Safety by Safety Speaker John Drebinger

Effective Presentations Are Memorable
As you know, as a safety speaker, I use magic during my presentation. I do this for several very important reasons. First and foremost is to make the meeting more effective and to ensure my audience remembers what I share with them and also takes action on that information. Secondly, it keeps their attention during the entire presentation, which makes sure they hear and see everything I want them to learn. Thirdly, it makes the meeting fun. For over 23 years as a safety speaker, I have taught safety professionals how to be effective and I have always told them they must make their presentation enjoyable for their audience. I use magic, my good friend, Scott Geller, uses cartoons and there are many other great ways to involve your audience and have them leave with a positive impression of the time they spend with you.

Do You Have Gloves?
Recently, I was the safety speaker at a manufacturing location where two wonderful things occurred. The first occurred at the first meeting of the two days I was presenting. As a closing trick for each of my presentations, I do an effect where an audience member’s dollar bill (with serial number noted) ends up inside a lemon. When the time came to cut the lemon, which had been sitting in the middle of a table from the beginning, I asked to borrow a knife. One member of the audience, Carlos, asked, “Do you have gloves?” I have been performing that magic trick for over 35 years and that is the first time someone asked me if I had gloves before giving me their knife.

Believe me, I was impressed. I thanked him for watching out for my safety and told him he was the first to ever take that precaution. I also told him I was going to mention it in my next newsletter. I did show him the gloves I had and he proceeded to hand me his knife. For those of you who have a policy against having a pocket knife on the job, I simply use a plastic knife, which I bring with me. When they are allowed, I like borrowing one as it involves one more person in the presentation.

Carlos, thank you for caring enough to ask me if I had the proper personal protective equipment before handing me the knife. When everyone cares about others as you do we will have a much safer workplace.

You Kept Him Awake
The second wonderful event of the day was later in the afternoon. The plant manager and the safety person shared with me the next crew was at the end of their day and that one of them had a very difficult time staying awake during meetings. They suggested I have the audience take a stretching break every fifteen minutes to help keep them awake. I asked if I could use techniques I teach in my presentation skills course to get a better result. They agreed.

The crew arrived at the meeting place and I began by thanking them for staying the extra hour after work to hear my presentation. I know they had to be there, yet showing them my appreciation lets them know I am aware this is beyond their normal work day and that I respect them.

I began my presentation and put to use the principles of keeping an audience’s attention I have taught for years. To help out our training room napper, I called on him and used him in one of my magic tricks. Of course I learned his name doing the trick and now I was able to use that to help keep him alert and awake.

Pay Attention To Your Audience and They Will Pay Attention To You
Throughout the rest of the presentation, I would refer back to him and use his name. When someone is no longer sitting in the room unnoticed and anonymous, they pay closer attention. I gauged the energy level of other audience members and involved them by asking their name and involving them in one way or another.

Watch The Video To Hear How Well It Worked – Click Here
After we were done the person who would normally fall asleep came forward and told me how much they enjoyed the presentation. He said, “This is the best meeting I have ever been to.” I thanked him for the compliment.

The safety person and I talked afterwards and they were thrilled with the results. I explained the techniques I used. I asked if the person in question was alert on the job and the answer was yes. I then explained what was probably happening was the person who is actively doing their work all day comes to the training room and sits down. This is exactly what they do at home at the end of the day, they sit down and relax. Because they naturally relax after driving home they just do the same process when they sit down in a training room, they relax.

I did a quick interview of the safety person and recorded it so you could hear it. Just click here to hear what Ami had to say. Also, thank you Ami for sharing this testimonial with my friends.

Let Me Keep Your People Alert
When you want a safety presentation no one will sleep through, give Diane Weiss a call at 209-745-9419 and she will put her 23 years of experience to work to make all the arrangements to have me at your location. She knows which of my many presentations will serve your needs and will ensure your meeting is a success.

Yours in Service,
John Drebinger Jr.